The man whose evidence helped jail Moors murderers Myra Hindley and Ian Brady will be buried today after his death from cancer.
David Smith (65), who had been married to Hindley’s sister, passed away in a hospital. His second wife Mary Faherty and his children were present at University Hospital Galway when he passed away over the weekend.
Mr Smith had been running a cottage guesthouse outside the picturesque town of Oughterard in Connemara with his wife, who is from the area.
Mr Smith was 17 when he told police how he witnessed Hindley and partner Ian Brady kill a teenager with an axe in her home in 1965. Mr Smith went with his then wife Maureen – Hindley’s sister – to police after witnessing the murder of Edward Evans (17), at the house where Brady lived with Hindley in Manchester. He was the chief prosecution witness at the trial.
His funeral Mass will take place at Oughterard church at 11am today and he is to be buried afterwards at Kilcummin Cemetery.